Funny Incidents - Can happen only in India

This is a discussion on Funny Incidents - Can happen only in India within Street Experiences, part of the Buckle Up category; I am listing below few of the incidents which I have seen personally in my life in connection with the ...

I am listing below few of the incidents which I have seen personally in my life in connection with the automobiles. Just wanted to share the same with all of you guys … I hope you will enjoy this. And also share your experiences like I had.

1 I was in school those days. It was early 90’s. We had one neighbor named Mr. Majgaonkar. He was around age of 45. One fine day his wife told us that they bought a GADI. (In India people call gadi for all types of vehicles including 2 wheelers & bicycle also) My mom asked for how much. She replied 6000/-. My Mom rightly assumed that they would have purchased some moped. But when asked she replied they bought a CAR with little surprised look. Now it was time for us to surprise. On seeing our faces she clarified that her Father in law has wish that they should own a car. So that after he dies people will say, “who died? Mr. Majgaonkar with car died …” (Gadiwale Majgaonkar was the words) !!! It sounded really funny and we had a big laugh after she went. They had bought an very old fiat `which was just in running condition. Later on we get to know that our neighbor went with his father in that car for ride 2-3 times. After few months we also heard that his father (age around 80) expired. We remembered his wish & laughed again imagining that his wish about peoples saying must be fulfilled.

Now after so many years when I look back of this incident, I regret that we laughed that time. He (father with wish) must be having a strong desire to own a car & drove it. But he must be unable to that time. It was really difficult to own a car in 60’s, 70’s. Only very rich people were able to afford the same. It was also the time when not many cars were available in the market & getting loan option was almost not there. So his wish must be a true wish from deep of his heart. His son, our neighbor also bought a car just for his wish. We must appreciate him. Great to have a son like this we can say …

2 This was when I was doing my engineering. I used to go to my friends place daily & used to go together to college. Around 9:30-10 AM we used to go. I used to see one person waiting on Bajaj scooter. One elderly person from friends building used to come & they used to go together. I thought he must be his collogue. When asked my friend, who told me the reality & was laughing like anything. Can you imagine what was the truth?

The person used to wait on scooter was the driver …. No jokes guys …. That elderly person was having some health issues & was unable drive the scooter. He was unable to own a car either. He was unable to use public transport as it was not convenient. So he had kept a driver for his scooter. He used to come daily in the morning with Tiffin and take the owner on scooter wherever he desires !!! Its only possible in India. We can get very cheap labor.

Can you beat this?

3 This incident is comparatively new. 5-7 years back. My friends neighbor bought a car. Wagon-R I guess. It was middle model which comes with power windows only for the front 2 windows. After few days he was frustrated & realized his mistake. So what’s the problem? Here the fun starts … He was businessman and had driver with him for his car. Previously he was owning Mahindra jeep. Now he was using his new car. He was frustrated as driver can scroll windows with button & he has to do it manually though he is the owner …. Hahahaha … when we heard this we laughed like anything.

I always found cars with only front 2 power windows funny. Either give all four or don’t give any. Consistency will be there & all will be happy … I guess companies should come up with only 2 rear power windows car for India where people can afford a driver very easily. So that people can take revenge to driver
Beat this …

4 Do you know how much a fiat costs now a days? 70’s, 80’s fiats are still available in few numbers in Pune & some rare species are using it. When enquired, I found that we can get a fiat in running, reasonable condition for Rs. 5000 also !!! I can buy one every month also…. (Just kidding). I know one family living nearby us who owns such a old fiat. They are elderly couple & use their car daily to go nearby places. Now the uncle being old person he has kept a driver for that.

So when I just calculated the total expenditure, it was around 6-7 thousand per month including drivers salary, petrol & maintenance !!! I found it really very funny and can’t imagine the calculation where monthly expenditure of the car is more than cars cost !!!! How many people you know who spends more amount than cars cost per month to maintain the same? Really doubtful.

Can you beat this ???

5 This was most recent. Tata Nano launched and I was very curious to see it in actual on road. Deliveries has just started that’ what I heard. Nano is basically a people’s car. It’s for people who cannot afford to buy a bigger costlier cars, this was the Ratan Tata’s basic idea behind developing such a low cost car. His main idea is that every India person can own a car at some point of time in life.

So I was returning from office to home one fine day. I saw a little cutie Silver Nano going around 100 mts in front of me. I started chasing the car. I get near to her very easily as I was on bike. I wanted to see the lucky guy who got the delivery of the cutie. So I raced a bit more. What I saw??? Any guesses ??? Please believe me guys, it was driven by a driver and 2 persons were sitting behind comfortably and chatting as if they are going in a Merc. I couldn’t believe that people can keep driver on Nano also !!!! Its possible only in India I guess ….
Can you beat this ???

Errrm....i don't find anything funny in whatever you have posted. This is the Indian economy & people adjust to it & make the best of it.

People who own a Nano will not necessarily know how to drive a 4 wheeler, or even want to drive one, hence the driver...what is so funny in that? These drivers are not the permanent type, they come only when called.

The power windows in the rear add maybe 5000 rupees to the total cost of the car. This is a developing country & people may not be able to afford that bit, so the manufacturers give it as an option.

If somebody has a driver for a 2 wheeler, what's wrong? If he is physically incapable of driving a 2 wheeler...again, which is all he can afford, i fail to see the fun in this.

Not to criticize, but I too didn’t found it funny. Never consider situations funny as per your value of money. Just for an example, as per your calculation only, the old couple having old fiat is able to manage everything in 6-7 k pm now imagine if they buy any basic new hatch, then that will be their EMI. Why to waste that that much. BTW who know how much pension they are getting?
Please stop behaving like that & respect others.

Errrm....i don't find anything funny in whatever you have posted. This is the Indian economy & people adjust to it & make the best of it.

People who own a Nano will not necessarily know how to drive a 4 wheeler, or even want to drive one, hence the driver...what is so funny in that? These drivers are not the permanent type, they come only when called.

The power windows in the rear add maybe 5000 rupees to the total cost of the car. This is a developing country & people may not be able to afford that bit, so the manufacturers give it as an option.

If somebody has a driver for a 2 wheeler, what's wrong? If he is physically incapable of driving a 2 wheeler...again, which is all he can afford, i fail to see the fun in this.

Yes, in India labour is cheap so here things are done differently.

when i saw this thread i thought this might be related to something funny but whatever you said (wrote) is not even remotely funny , no offence but this is what i feel

1Self, Chill yar, i had fun reading all this cause i have seen some of this happen in my life as well.

Ok here is one
1. Year 2004 i am a fresher who freshly joined a call center in delhi. my shift starts at 7:Pm but my cab reaches usually at 5 PM, if i dont get a call by 5:30 i keep bugging them . SO i get a call

Caller: Mr Pramod
Me: Yes

Caller: sir your cab is waiting
Me: ok i will be there in a minute

Me looking out no indica/Sumo/Qualis/Esteem in sight, so i call back

Me: Hello, where is the cab
Caller: sir, its at the place where you get picked up from everyday
Me: i am standing there and i dont see a cab
Caller: i will call you back

In the mean time a guy walks up to me,
Guy: Pramod
Me: Yes(surprised how does he know me)
Gives me a helmet, i am like what .
Guy:The cab has broken down, so i am picking you up.
Me: I am not coming 25 Km on your bike
I called up transport and took his happiness, and finally at 7:30 I got a cab.

Similar incidance.
Cab supervisor (SC)calls me
CS: Sir please pick up the madam in the second pickup as well, my phone is low on balance
Me: Ok i will call her, her number is on the roster?
CS: Yes

I call her, she come out sits in the cab and passes a frindly smile, The girl is new i say to myself and smile back.

Suddenly she shouts, stop the cab.
Me: What happened
She: which company are you working for
Me: XXX
She: I work for YYY
Me: eh !!!, how are you picked up in this cab then.
She: i dont know
I called up the cab supervisor, and narated the whole incidence

CS: Sir please drop her and come to office
Me; We are already half way
CS: Drop here where you are and i will get her picked
Me: No way, i cannot drop her any where, it 7:00 PM already and its getting dark. we are going back to drop here from where we picked her
CS: No sir the cab is already running late, can you do me a favour by not telling this to any one?
Me: but the next pickups will know
CS: I will send them another cab
Me: so we will drop her at her office
CS: Please
Me: OK

There are many like this, i will bore you once we have a lot others pouring in.

Errrm....i don't find anything funny in whatever you have posted. This is the Indian economy & people adjust to it & make the best of it.

People who own a Nano will not necessarily know how to drive a 4 wheeler, or even want to drive one, hence the driver...what is so funny in that? These drivers are not the permanent type, they come only when called.

The power windows in the rear add maybe 5000 rupees to the total cost of the car. This is a developing country & people may not be able to afford that bit, so the manufacturers give it as an option.

If somebody has a driver for a 2 wheeler, what's wrong? If he is physically incapable of driving a 2 wheeler...again, which is all he can afford, i fail to see the fun in this.

Yes, in India labour is cheap so here things are done differently.

1self, If you don't find it funny, no issues. I dont want to hurt anyone here.
Regarding Nano, i really dont think its a car to be driven by driver.
Regarding power windows, though u get rear power windows done afterward, not many people do it as its not reliable. The owners frustration was funny for me.
When i said driver for 2 wheeler is wrong? But i dont think many people have it anywhere in the world. I really find the idea very funny. Not sure how many people has seen such drivers. Also not sure if you will get such driver easily available in the market

Quote:

Originally Posted by pradipk

Not to criticize, but I too didn’t found it funny. Never consider situations funny as per your value of money. Just for an example, as per your calculation only, the old couple having old fiat is able to manage everything in 6-7 k pm now imagine if they buy any basic new hatch, then that will be their EMI. Why to waste that that much. BTW who know how much pension they are getting?
Please stop behaving like that & respect others.

pradipk, the couple i am talking about is quite rich. They can afford a new car easily. Thats why they are spending so much in driver & all. Just that they are least interested in buying a new car. Fun part is monthly expenditure on the car is more than its value. Not often you will find this.

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team : Please use "Multi Quote" option for quoting Multiple posts, instead of creating another back-to-back post.

Last edited by Technocrat : 11th March 2010 at 16:44.
Reason: Please read the note in your post, thanks

This post reply is just not to criticize anybody, but thought it is a necessity to share my information.
I did not find it funny because I have seen people going through tough times during my school days and owning a car was big wish come true almost after retirement. Students were on bicycles (now on power bikes). I have seen people pouring their retirement bonus to fulfill their wish either to buy a scooter/car.

About Nano, Mr. Ratan Tata evaluates Indian economy, condition and needs of the Indian people and what people can achieve. He has succeded to meet the necessity of the Indian people whatever it may be a Nano in that price range.
This is a reality.

I agree with Pramod. This is just for laughs. I enjoyed the 3rd one about the manual windows on the Wagon-R. It was real funny and am picturing the expressions on the guy's face! But as far as the Nano with driver is concerned, even we had a driver for our M-800 in the mid 90's. Its for the sake of convenience. But yes, i get the jest, one does not expect a Nano to be chauffer driven. Its all good!

I guess companies should come up with only 2 rear power windows car for India where people can afford a driver very easily. So that people can take revenge to driver
Beat this …

Tata already does that in their indigo XL being supplied to MERU cabs. The front ones are normal roll down ones and rear are powe opertaed. first time i saw it i was surprised. But as per me this is more of a cost cutting technique rather than feeling superior to the driver.

As far as the incidents you quoted, they are well worth of mentioning as different, but no funny i guess.

Common guys, Do you think all this happens anywhere else in this world other than india. We have more serious threads to talk serious stuff about. I feel the incedences put by aniketi may not amuse a lot of readers but as in when the thread evolves we will surly have stuff to read and have a harmless smiles on our face. Tell me how many of you find my incedances funny? .

These are wierd things which no one will ever imagine that can happen until it actually happens. Lets put things to gather and make it a great thread.

Common guys, Do you think all this happens anywhere else in this world other than india. We have more serious threads to talk serious stuff about. I feel the incedences put by aniketi may not amuse a lot of readers but as in when the thread evolves we will surly have stuff to read and have a harmless smiles on our face. Tell me how many of you find my incedances funny? .

These are wierd things which no one will ever imagine that can happen until it actually happens. Lets put things to gather and make it a great thread.

Pramod

I found your incidences funny. Specially the helmet one ... How can they send 2 wheeler for picking anybody instead of 4 wheeler? That's also for long distance.

@aniket: No offence meant but I didn't find anything funny in the post. Especially the first incident "Gadiwale Majgoankar" I felt was in bad taste. I firmly believe in looking down on anyone whatever be their economic status. Just like you look down on a Nano/Scooter/Old FIAT owner, similarly a Merc owner may feel about you and may think of you/your car as a waste of space on road. Prejudices like this further create division in our society.

@Pramod: Your incidents are funny because they are about goof-ups that happen in our daily lives.

@ Aniket - A wise man once said, " You can tell a man's character by what he laughs at "
I agree with the wise man. Most of what you've posted is in extremely poor taste. Most of your "amusing" examples cite either physical or economical hardship or both. What is there to laugh at either escapes me completely.
I guess it takes all kinds to make up this world as well as this forum